Clumsy with chopsticks but can't live without them... ** I don't post English translations of Japanese recipes without permissions from the recipe authors. But feel free to contact me about the dishes you're interested in.

Favorite Foodblogs

About Me

"OBACHAN" means a "middle-aged woman" or "aunty" in Japanese.
.*************************. Having moved back to my hometown in April 2009, I live in one of the desperately underpopulated areas in Japan now. Let me share my life in a real countryside with aging parents living in the same house. And here in Muroto -- the place where I chose to live -- you can hear the heartbeat of the Earth! ;)

My Other Blogs

Special Thanks to:

The contents of this blog created by me (text/comments and photos) are licensed under a Creative Commons License. Copyrights of free web graphics used in this site and comments made by others belong to the creators of those works.

Monday, March 31, 2008

Odairi-sama and Ohina-sama (Male and Female dolls representing the Emperor and Empress)by Nishigawaya

Japanese doll festival held on March 3rd is called Hina-matsuri. Hina dolls are traditional ornamental dolls used for this festival only. For more details about Japanese doll festival, see this site.

The hina dolls are supposed to be taken down and put back in the boxes as soon as the festival is finished, because there is an old saying that if you have the dolls on display for too long, the girl(s) in the family will marry late. Now you know the reason why I'm still single: my family was lazy after the doll festival.;)

I really love these cute wagashi hina dolls. They do look like a man and woman in kimono.

They are in love. ;)

To some wagashi and tea ceremony learners or experts living in and outside Japan:

I’m sorry that I cannot give you, at this point, a decent explanation about what these cute dolls are made with. I’m sure these are made with shiro-an (sweetened white bean paste) based dough, but not sure if it is nerikirior konashi.Again, I forgot to ask the clerk at the store.I’m not sure what the difference between nerikiri and konashi is in the first place, if there is a difference anyway. Some even say that they are the same thing called differently in different areas in Japan, but others say that they are two different things. Really confusing. I hope I can give you a better explanation sometime in the near future. ;)

Pinkity]Yeah, I love the design, too. That’s the reason why I bought them. And the color gradation! That’s what that made the kimono so charming, I think.

TindyYou mean making hina doll wagashi like these? Mmmmm… I don’t know. The wagashi hina dolls might have the same magical power! Then this confectioner should be blamed. They were selling these even a few weeks after the festival. Someone might sue them. Hahaha…

Hollywood tai taiI wish I could make cute wagashi like these (and had the equipment to press beautiful design on wagashi). But these are definitely a professional work, and the equipment must be DARN expensive.

ChubbypandaMe, too. So refreshingly springy. :)

ReiHonto ni kawaii !They are made with shiro-an (sweetened white bean paste) based dough and tasted quite smooth but not too sweet.